1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a therapeutic pillow, and more particularly, a breast support pillow.
The breast support pillow is configured to bring relief and care to an individual/woman who may experience discomfort in the breast area while sleeping. This product assists the individual/woman in obtaining a better night's sleep by providing a comfortable support pillow for the breasts. The pillow relieves the discomfort of sensitive, sore breasts that can often affect a sleep cycle of the individual/woman.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many reasons why a woman may experience breast soreness. Certain illnesses cause breast tenderness or lumps, or individual/women who undergo breast enhancement, which can make it difficult for the woman to sleep. Various times of the month can cause the woman's breasts to be hypersensitive. Large breasted women often have trouble getting comfortable during the night. A standard mattress does not offer a sufficient amount of support for sore breasts or individual/women who undergo breast enhancement can benefit. A more efficient way is needed.
Numerous innovations for breast comfort systems have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A first example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,335, Issued on Jul. 6, 1976, to Rhoads teaches a cushion or pillow of foam rubber that has two circular holes cut therein to receive the mammary glands of a woman lying thereon. The cushion is covered with terry cloth for sunbathing or covered with satin for sleeping. The cushion extends upward to form a support for the head.
A second example, U.S. Patent Office Document No. D309,542, Issued on Jul. 31, 1990, to Glenn teaches an ornamental design for an inflated face-down pillow for a woman, as shown and described.
A third example, U.S. Patent Office Document No. D318,923, Issued on Aug. 6, 1991, to Marsh teaches an ornamental design for a therapeutic pillow, as shown and described.
A fourth example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,569, Issued on Mar. 17, 1992, to Glenn teaches a compliant cover sheet for a face-down pillow which has a wedge shape and contains primary and secondary air passageways which facilitate breathing by the user of the pillow. The sheet is fabricated of a single piece of flat compliant thin material cut so as to have a perimeter edge configuration generally matching the configuration of the pillow. Intersecting slits adjacent the upper extremity of the sheet form triangular flaps which descend into the primary passageway. Fastening straps attached to the flaps are adapted to pass through the secondary air passageways and interengage edges of the sheet. A stabilizing strap attached across opposed edges of the sheet adjacent its lower extremity is adapted to embrace the pillow.
A fifth example, U.S. Pat No. 5,369,824, Issued on Dec. 6, 1994, to Powell teaches a reversible mattress for use by a pregnant woman. The mattress includes a planar first face having a cavity therein for accommodating the abdomen of the pregnant woman when the mattress is positioned with the first face facing upward and the pregnant woman lies prone upon the first face; and a planar second face having a cavity therein for accommodating the abdomen of the pregnant woman when the mattress is positioned with the second face facing upward and the pregnant woman lies prone upon the second face.
A sixth example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,449, Issued on Mar. 28, 1995, to Satto teaches a prone pregnancy cushion, for allowing a pregnant woman to lay on her abdomen, comprising an early stage segment, a later stage segment, and an attachment mechanism connecting the early stage segment and later stage segment. The early stage segment and later stage segment each have abdominal hollows and breast hollows, containing breast cut-outs and abdominal cut-outs which are removable to accommodate women of different sizes and at different stages of their pregnancy.
A seventh example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,061, Issued on Feb. 24, 1998, to Giori et al. teaches a female anatomical mattress including a generally rectangular body supporting structure. The body supporting structure has a pair of side walls with a continuous central section. The central section has an upper panel and a lower panel. The upper panel and lower panel each share a rounded front end and a rounded rear end. The upper panel has a generally rectangular cavity that extends downwardly therefrom and toward the lower panel. Lastly, a generally rectangular head supporting structure is rounded. The head supporting structure is sized for positioning within the cavity of the body supporting structure, when not supporting a person's head. The mattress may be foam filled or inflatable.
An eighth example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,874, Issued on Apr. 25, 2000, to Allyn et al. teaches a mattress having a wedge-shaped mattress body with an inclined upper surface, the upper surface divided by a transverse breast concavity into a head-supporting portion and a body-supporting portion. The mattress has a flat position in which the concavity is open to receive breasts as well as an upright position in which the concavity functions as a hinging mechanism and the mattress is held in the upright position by adjustable mechanisms. In the flat position the mattress may be used in the prone position, laying on the back, or in a yoga position. In the upright position, the mattress may be used laying on the back and partially sitting upright, or, by adjusting the position of the mattress, sitting upright.
A ninth example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,778, Issued on Mar. 27, 2007, to Riach teaches a breast comfort padding system which includes a compressible body having an upper surface sized to support at least a chest area of a user thereon, at least a pair of recesses formed in the compressible body which are positioned with respect to each other on the compressible body to correspond to position of breasts, and compressible inserts received in the recesses, the compressible insert being more easily compressed than the compressible body.
A tenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,426,762, Issued on Sep. 23, 2008, to Dazzi teaches a pillow suitable for women's body, allowing an easy resting an easy resting to women's chest, keeping breasts separated therebetween and raised, unflattened by the body. The pillow has a donut shape additionally allowing an effective body side support, and it comprises: a substantially oval annular pillow main body, having a central opening allowing breast insertion and a resting surface for the chest area surrounding the breast; a pillow secondary body of elongate shape, located transversely to the opening of the main body so as to position itself between the breasts, at the sternum.
An eleventh example, U.S. Patent Office Document No. D578,220, Issued on Oct. 7, 2008, to Ebarb teaches an ornamental design for a breast pillow, as shown and described.
A twelfth example, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2004/0029484, Published on Feb. 12, 2004, to Smith teaches abreast supporter which can be worn or held to a person's breast to provide protection and comfort, and particularly to reduce discomfort during or following breast implant surgery. The breast supporter can provide one or more depressions or cups for resting of breasts, wherein the breast supporter can be inflatable, and wherein the size(s) of the depression(s) or the cup(s) or the opening(s) is/are adjustable.
A thirteenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,778, Issued on Mar. 27, 2007, to Riach teaches a breast comfort padding system which includes a compressible body having an upper surface sized to support at least a chest area of a user thereon, at least a pair of recesses formed in the compressible body which are positioned with respect to each other on the compressible body to correspond to position of breasts, and compressible inserts received in the recesses, the compressible insert being more easily compressed than the compressible body.
A fourteenth example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,426,762, Issued on Sep. 23, 2008, to Dazzi teaches a pillow suitable for women's body, allowing an easy resting an easy resting to women's chest, keeping breasts separated therebetween and raised, unflattened by the body. The pillow has a donut shape additionally allowing an effective body side support, and it comprises: a substantially oval annular pillow main body, having a central opening allowing breast insertion and a resting surface for the chest area surrounding the breast; a pillow secondary body of elongate shape, located transversely to the opening of the main body so as to position itself between the breasts, at the sternum.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for breast comfort systems have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.